Formal Analysis of the attached piece of art

Length: 4 double spaced pages in 12pt. font (Times, Cambria or another common font)
Instruction: You are to write an interpretative formal analysis essay about the work of art you selected for your Meeting in Pictures assignment. You are to use the tools of formal analysis presented to you in the first two modules of this class. If you are uncertain about your chosen work of art — i.e. you selected a costume or a work of decorative art — please contact me. Generally, a painting is the most suited to this assignment, though if you are ambitious sculpture can also work (but you should contact me for additional resources).

Your written work should include both description and interpretation
For example, it is descriptive to state “the man’s face is painted in shades of orange and yellow.” But to develop this beyond description to an interpretive observation you should explain why this is significant and note the effect produced by the style. You could do this by adding a few lines, “The artist has made the man’s face bright orange, producing a disquieting effect which contradicts the otherwise naturalistic style she uses elsewhere in the composition.” This makes it clear why you are noting this particular detail, and how it works in relation to the rest of the image. Ask yourself what effects are created by the formal elements or artistic techniques used and how do they contribute to the meaning of the work of art?
Here is another example:
The artist’s use of light and shadow create the effect of a spotlight on the girl’s face. The left side of her cheek, forehead and left side of the bridge of her nose are painted in light skin tones, creating a strong sense of light shining on the left side of her face. In contrast, the lower right side of her cheek is painted in dark hues of brown with a green undertone. The back of her neck and ear disappear into shadow. The background of the painting is nearly black, which creates a high contrast with the girl’s luminous face. The dark background and the use bright light and dramatic shadow on the girl’s face focuses the viewer’s attention on her alluring expression, intensified by her parted lips and glistening eyes.
[Topic sentence, in blue, states which formal element will be analyzed and what visual effect they create. Text follows topic sentence with close, descriptive visual analysis. Paragraph closes with more in-depth interpretation, in blue, of the effect of the visual analysis in the body of the paragraph].
The Thesis Statement
Your paper should advance a thesis, preferably in the very beginning of the paper. A thesis statement names the specific topic and makes an interpretive assertion about it that the writer will support with details later in the essay. To develop a thesis statement about your topic, you must first ask questions of your topic (in the brainstorming process.) You can think of a thesis as a key question that you are asking about your subject. Please see worksheet for writing a thesis statement.
For example, some of you described that you would feel peaceful if you were within a picture, energized, curious, in awe, etc. You could organize a thesis statement around this early impression. Below is one possible way to structure your thesis statement:
The artist’s use [light, composition, line, & colar] in his/her, [name of your chosen artwork] , creates an effect of sadness. You can then elaborate on this effect. For example, you could write, “While sadness dominates the atmosphere in [chosen work of art] it is not despair; the picture emanates a glimmer of hope in the face of sorrow.”
From this thesis statement you can organize a series of thoughtfully ordered paragraphs each focusing on one one or two elements of form. In each paragraph you would balance close visual description and follow with a description of the effect of what you have described. This process is an exercise in interpretation.
Paragraph Structure and Paragraph Order
Every paragraph should have a topic sentence and should stick to the topic throughout. Think of each paragraph as a mini-paper. It is a good idea to assign titles to your paragraphs while the paper is still in the draft stage (write “color,” “composition,” “texture,” etc. in the margins to remind yourself what each paragraph addresses.) This keeps the coherence of each paragraph fresh in your mind and will prevent you from including irrelevant information.
After you have sharpened the point of each paragraph, you must consider the order in which your paragraphs flow. Remember, in a comparison paper it is clearer to address any similarities between the works of art in the beginning, and then focus the rest of the paper on the differences between the works (which are often the crux of a comparison paper.)
For this reason, it useful to work from an outline of your paper. An outline (or a flow chart) can be drafted after you have begun the writing process and have a clearer idea of what you want to say. As we write, our ideas do not always emerge from us in any particular order. But drafting an outline helps us to understand the best possible flow so that your argument is steadily building in a clear and sensible way.
Technical Paper Requirements:
Upload your paper as a .doc or .pdf file into the canvas portal.
The titles of works of art such as paintings, photographs, sculptures and prints should be italicized or underlined.
Identify the title, date and name of the artist (if known) of an artwork.
All papers must be 4-5 full pages in length. Page length may vary somewhat according to topic.
The font should be size 12, Cambria font style.
The margins on the page top and bottom should not be in excess of an inch and a half.
The margins on the left and right should be approximately an inch.
The spacing between each line should be double spaced. No single-spaced papers will be accepted.
Include a copy of the image you write about as part of the paper.

Provide the name of the text you referenced in a “Works Cited” section at the end of your paper. You can either use MLA or Chicago Manual of Style citations (see examples in How to Write an Art History Essay below).

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